Stevie Brown Having a Record-Breaking Year for New York Giants

By Christopher Gamble

The Star-Ledger-USA TODAY Sports

Stevie Brown had himself a day. While much of the attention being paid to the New York Giants rightfully surrounds David Wilson and his historic day, the season Stevie Brown has had for the Giants is arguably one of the best ever for a Giants safety in the Super Bowl era.

Already, Stevie Brown has seven interceptions on the season after his two against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. His performance was enough to vault him into a tie for second place on the Giants all-time list and two behind Dick Lynch who intercepted nine passes twice in 1961 and 1963.

Brown did set the Giants’ single-season mark for interception return yards with 259 yards. The previous mark was held by Lynch and Emlen Tunnell at 251.

When the Giants signed Brown he was considered nothing more than safety depth. However, he played himself into more and more playing time during the preseason and has found himself getting a decent amount of playing time with the injury to Kenny Phillips. Brown once again found himself in a starting spot as Phillips was a late scratch.

The Giants still have three more games and there is a very good chance that Brown could end up with a few more interceptions and challenge Lynch for the top spot.

Brown’s path to the Giants hasn’t been an exactly conventional one. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He played sparingly after being signed off the Raiders practice squad that year but was released in 2011.

After his release from the Raiders, Brown was claimed off of waivers by the Carolina Panthers on September 4, 2011 but was quickly waived again on September 7th. Thirteen days later, Brown signed on with the Indianapolis Colts where he spent most of the 2011 season as a backup safety before not being re-signed at the end of the year.

The Giants never expected Brown to the impact he has had. Right now he is one interception behind Tim Jennings of the Chicago Bears for the NFL lead in interceptions and currently leads the NFL in takeaways with nine (seven interceptions, two fumble recoveries). Nobody could have predicted those kinds of numbers from Brown but the only ones complaining are opposing quarterbacks.

Brown is almost certainly guaranteeing himself a spot on an NFL roster next season. The question might be whether or not the Giants will be able to afford him after this season.